English Football League Structure

The English football league is split between the professional divisions,
called League Football, and the amateur (or semi-professional) leagues, called
Non-League Football. The professional leagues are split between four divisions,
with promotion and relegation between the leagues. The Non-League divisions are
split on many levels, called Steps. The first seven steps are clearly defined,
but below step seven, the league structure becomes more oblique. There are set
rules for promotion and relegation between the Non-League divisions, as well as
between the top Non-League division, the National Conference, and League 2 (the
lowest of the professional divisions). Even if a team comes top of their
division, it does not convey automatic rights for promotion, as the club must
meet minimum standards for both facilities and financial standing.

Not all local leagues are affiliated to the Football Association, and hence
are not included in the football structure, meaning its teams cannot be promoted
or relegated outside of their own leagues. The Sunday Football leagues are also
not affiliated.

The charts below document the league structure down to the seventh step only.